Brake!
by Random Mongoose
Summary: AU Shikamaru tries to teach Ino how to drive a stick-shift. Needless to say, it doesn't turn out well. Ino X Shikamaru


**Authoress' Note:**** Well, here is a one-shot for the Shika/Ino lovers! I tried to keep them in character as much as possible, but hey, it's alternate universe! Anything can happen!**

**P.S. I'm sorry if this seems a bit rushed, or if there's any grammatical errors in it…I wasn't really in my writing spirit for most of this.**

**Disclaimer:**** As of this point, I don't own Naruto…or a car.**

* * *

The night was warm and slightly humid, as it often is during summer. The town of Konoha had settled down from the day's events, and a sense of peace and calm had settled over the community…

_SCREEEEEEEEECH_

…until the squeal of tires and the sputtering of an overworked engine tore through the serene atmosphere.

The disturbance emanated from a vacant parking lot beside a closed convenience store. Overhead streetlights gave off a dim, golden illumination that enabled the occupants of a lone vehicle visibility. One said occupant was frazzled and close to pulling out her blonde hair. The other was just as frustrated, but even more so, terrified. His body was tense and his usually lazy demeanor was replaced with alarm as the car swerved in between lampposts.

The male in the passenger seat suddenly clutched the armrest as the car swerved towards the concrete base of a streetlight.

"Ino, STOP! BRAKE!"

"Shut up, Shikamaru!" Ino snapped as she moved her left foot from the clutch to the brake pedal.

_Kerplunk!_

All was silent after the car jerked to stop only inches from a lamppost, for the engine spluttered and died. Both occupants of the car panted heavily as their heart rates returned to normal. At length, one of them spoke again.

"Well, that was just peachy," the boy Shikamaru groaned, "…and you stalled it again."

Ino huffed, "Well it's not my fault! Why do people have to be so difficult and design such complex vehicles? I feel like I'm tap dancing here!"

Shikamaru rubbed his temples and sighed before replying, "You're the one that's making it hard, Ino. The controls are quite basic and pretty simple to follow. If you practice often enough, it becomes second nature; almost like driving a regular automatic. You'll be able to drive a stick-shift in time. Now remember: your left foot stays only on the clutch. Your right foot controls the gas and brake pedals." He took a deep breath and braced himself, "Now push in the clutch, and let's start again."

Ino bit her lip and took a deep breath before nodding and doing what he said and starting the standard car. Shikamaru watched her with a composure of calm, but his eyes were wary.

"Good. When the car is in neutral, you can take your foot off of the clutch and it won't stall. However, whenever you need to shift gears or stop, you need to push the clutch in first."

Ino said nothing, but she expressed her disdain by clucking her tongue. Shikamaru ignored this.

"Now like I said before, you put it into first gear and slowly ease your foot off of the clutch. When you feel it catching, you gently step on the gas."

Ino moved the shifting lever into the correct position and slowly started removing her left foot from the clutch. A few anxious seconds passed with Ino's face furrowed in concentration. Shikamaru watched the blonde with a look of encouragement and slight admiration. He was impressed that the young Yamanaka was so dedicated to this cause.

Finally, Ino felt it; the engine started to shudder and quiet down. As it slowed down, Ino started to panic; she had to press in the gas pedal before it stalled again!

The lazy Nara immediately noticed Ino tense up.

"No, Ino wait-" Shikamaru's words were forcibly swallowed as the acceleration of the now-speeding vehicle forced him back into the confines of the car seat. Ino yelped and jerked the steering wheel to the left as the tiny car hurtled towards the brick building that was the convenience store.

_SQUEEEEEAAAAL_

Once in the clear, common sense caught up with the mind controller and she quickly applied the brake. Thanks to the safety of seatbelts, both Ino and Shikamaru did NOT go through the windshield…but they did propel and catch against them, the pressure causing them to choke and gasp for air for roughly 4.8 seconds.

"I-ino…" Shikamaru panted.

"Hold on genius, I can do this!" Ino declared with a shout and started the entire process all over again. Shikamaru didn't have time to reply…so he prayed for his life instead.

_SCRREEE-ka-thump_

_SCRREEE-ka-thump_

_SCRREEE-ka-thump_

This was the poor depiction of Ino's "stop and go" administrations. Transitions were still a little troublesome for her. She would let off the clutch and step on the gas quickly for fear of the vehicle stalling, and then stomp on the brake when she realized that she was going too fast. Somewhere in between G-force and inertia, Shikamaru found his voice.

"STOP!"

_Kerplunk!_

"That's just great, Shikamaru! You made me stall it again!"

The said boy closed his eyes and slowly started counting to twenty. Why twenty? Because ten wasn't going to cut it. Ten was going to lead to homicide.

When he came back to reality, Ino was still barking at him. He decided to stay silent a little longer and let her finish her rant. Apparently she wasn't pleased with this intelligent decision.

"Are you even paying attention to me you lazy ass?! My Kami, I can't believe you! How in the hell are you supposed to be a good teacher when you don't even listen to me?! Don't you even…how can you...That's it! I quit!"

She was halfway out of the car when realization of what she had said had hit him. Shikamaru quickly climbed out of his side and turned to face her over the top of the car. "What do you mean you're quitting?"

Ino whipped around in a huff, banging her elbow against her still-open car door. She didn't seem to notice.

"It means that I am fed up with your belligerent attitude about my driving! And you know what? I don't need your help!"

Shikamaru snorted. "First off, Ino, you shouldn't use words that you don't know the meaning of. _You're_ the one with the belligerent attitude. And _you're_ the one who asked for my help in the first place!"

"I'm sorry, my mistake" Ino replied snootily. "I should've known than to ask for help from a person who _obviously_ has no interest in doing so."

Shikamaru spread his arms wide in exasperation. "_Of course _I'm interested in helping you Ino! Why else would I be here?"

The blonde Yamanaka turned her head to the side. "You're only here because you're my teammate and you feel obligated to help me." Shikamaru went around the car and stood in front of Ino after hearing her statement.

"Ino, that may be true in some cases, but I decided to come out here tonight not just because I'm your teammate, but because I truly _wanted_ to."

Ino shifted nervously. "You're just saying that…"

"Ino," Shikamaru gave a small smile, "You should know by now that I only give effort to say the things that I mean."

The teenage girl had no reply, so she just stared down at the ground. Shikamaru reached out and grasped her hand. A little intimate on his part, he thought, but it was worth it to see her blush.

"See, you silly woman? I'll help you of my own free will because I want to see you happy. Isn't that enough?"

Ino gave a strangled cry, and before the Nara knew what had happened, she had latched her arms around his neck and was burying into his chest. A few tears escaped her eyes and soaked into his shirt.

"Ino, wha-"

"Y-Yes it's enough! Oh Shikamaru, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to call you names, I was just so frustrated! I had no idea that you actually cared…"

Shikamaru wrapped his arms around the over-emotional girl and gently kissed the top of her head.

"Hey, its ok…I guess I was a bit of jerk, ignoring you like that…please don't cry, you're getting my shirt wet."

Ino playfully forced her fist into his shoulder and detached herself, a blush evident on her pale features.

"Thanks, Shika…"

The Nara boy smiled. "Anytime, you troublesome woman. Now let's get you home; I think you've had enough for one night."

The blonde ducked into driver's seat and was about to reach out and close the door when she felt Shikamaru's hand gently grasp her arm. "Ino…"

Said Yamanaka looked up into his face in confusion. He was looking at her with an expression that she just couldn't place. Ino eagerly leaned closer to listen, all of her attention focused on the words that she hoped that he was about to say…

"I think that I should drive."

Nope, that wasn't it. Ino sat still for a moment, lost. Then she recollected herself and tried to look angry, but couldn't pull it off because a grin was forcing its way onto her lips. She shrugged and got out of the driver's seat. "That's probably a good idea…"

Any words that she was thinking about voicing trailed from her thoughts as Shikamaru's arm encircled her waist and his lips fell upon hers.

Oh wow. This would be…um…a kiss! Ino's mind couldn't quite comprehend the situation she was in. Not that it mattered, for it was over all too soon. Shikamaru's grin now mirrored hers as he released her from his grasp and climbed into the driver's seat.

Ino dizzily staggered around the car and into the passenger side, touching her lips before she remembered to close the door. She could hear Shikamaru give a warm chuckle before he started up the car and started making their way to the Yamanaka residence.

"Hey, Shikamaru?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you help me out again tomorrow night?"

"Ino, I'll help you whatever the need may be…"

The blonde grinned as she gazed out the window at the darkened buildings that were passing by. She and her partner sat in companionable silence for the rest of the drive.

And the town of Konoha was peacefully calm once again…well…for now.


End file.
